“There’s more, isn’t there?”
Why did she have to read him so well? He tried to pull up the words, but instead got, “Does there have to be?”
“No. I’d take your apology as it stands; I don’t like hating you. But I can tell you have more to say.”
“I want a partnership.” There. That wasn’t so hard.
Except she was looking at him, brow furrowed, as if he spoke Swahili. “Is that some trendy-business-guy way of… You know what? I don’t know what you’re asking, and I’m not going to guess.”
“I’m talking about a business merger. Thompson Advertising and Graceful Exhibition Advertising.”
“Is that code for you buy me out, use my name as a secondary brand, and beat everything unique out of it while you lay off the handful of staff I have?”
She thought he’d do that? To anyone? He didn’t have a right to be offended, after what he accused her of. “I’m talking about being equal partners. Not me running things or buying anyone out. An actual merger. What you were talking about with Andrew? How quickly you can move and act on things? I want that for Thompson Advertising. The company needs it. And I’m hoping you feel like I bring something to the table too. This gives you access to a bigger budget and a new client list.”
“You’re not the only one with established contacts. It also gives you access to my list. Convenient.”
He was saying something wrong. “It does. I want this to be a mutually beneficial partnership.”
“Is this a way to get Liz back under your wing and working for you?”
“This is a way to get you working by my side. Not for me. Not answering to anyone. Why are you struggling with that?” He didn’t mean to let the irritation leak into his voice, but he couldn’t stop it.
“Life doesn’t work that way. Thompson Advertising is huge. Companies like yours don’t bow down to teensy little guys like me and say, please teach us.”
“Companies like them,” he said. “We need to adapt and change. I don’t want to think the way companies like them do. That’s why I’m making this offer. If we don’t have something you think would benefit you, tell me no. Bottom line is I can’t compete with you. Not because of the whole attraction thing, though that makes it difficult, but because you’ve got me beat, innovation-wise. I don’t want to be the other guy again, because competing with you terrifies me.” It felt odd to say it, but he knew she wouldn’t throw it in his face.
*
Despite Mercy’s attempt to keep a cool front, Ian’s offer floored her. When she agreed to stay, she expected a few pretty words, and she hoped to be moved enough to work things out and find some sort of common ground.
This, though… It tweaked her mind and obliterated her plausibility censors. Every instinct she had told her it was bullshit. She was tired of her cynical outlook. She wanted Ian’s offer to be real, for so many reasons. The business benefits were only one. She was ready to accept his apology before he made the offer, though she’d have doubted him for a long time. Pushed harder than she should, to make him prove it day after day. Now she knew he was sincere.
It didn’t mean she had to be stupid about the whole thing. “If I say yes, we’ll need to discuss details. We’re doing this by the book.” She dug into the food and ignored her drink. She thought the liquor would take the edge off, but Ian did a good job by himself.
“Really? Red tape and all?” He sounded amused but not surprised.
“Some things don’t get left to chance. There are other parties involved with this. I take care of my people. I want to see the contracts. We’ll both undergo due diligence. My lawyer will review everything.”
He shook his head, smile growing. “You always amaze me.”
“You thought I’d go into this blindly?”
“This is a work in progress for me. I didn’t think past how to get you on my side without stifling what makes you unique or taking away from your company. I don’t want you working for me or consulting or anything like that. This doesn’t work unless we’re equal partners.”
Damn it—why did he have to be all reasonable and complimentary? “Let’s put the whole thing in motion. No promises. Maybe you don’t have what I need, but I’m hoping you do.”
He traced his toe up her shin. “Me too.”
A yawn forced its way out, threatening to split her jaw. It had been a long few days.
Ian raised his brows. “Am I boring you?”
“No. Exactly the opposite.” The peace that evaded her last night settled in now. She felt comfortable and content. “But I haven’t slept since… Umm…” Her foggy thoughts resisted her attempt to find information. “Well, Saturday we screwed half the night. Sunday, we slept on the couch and not a lot, and Monday…”
“What about it?”
“I stayed up all night, hating you.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Hating you. The words hit Ian harder than he thought possible, wrenching everything inside. “I’m sorry. Flowery words and rambling aside, I really am. My merger offer is independent of my apology, and something I know will take time—and that’s only if you agree. But both are sincere. Completely and honestly.”
“I know. And I mean it that I’ll look at everything. One of us has to be a rational adult about this.” A teasing glint tugged up the corners of her eyes.
He was going to push his luck a little harder. “So… losing sleep over me. That means I’m not the only one hooked.”
“No comment.” Her growing amusement was broken by another yawn.
“You need your rest. Do you want to get out of here?”
“I’m good…” Another yawn. “Or maybe not so much.”
He tossed some money on the table. “Did you drive? Are you okay to make it back to your hotel?”
“I caught a cab.”
“Come on.” He took her belongings from the back of her seat, nudged her to stand, and helped her shrug her coat on. “I’ll take you back. Where are you staying?”
“Airport Super 8.” She laughed.
“Did I miss something?”
“No.” She slid her hand into his. Despite the chill on her still-cold fingers, a jolt of heat raced through him. His pulse sped another notch when she leaned her head on his shoulder as they headed outside. “I was thinking… I used to wonder what it would be like to have someone dote on me the way you do on Liz.” Her voice was tired.
He didn’t know how he missed that before. “I don’t dote.”
“Whatever. You do.”
He wasn’t in the mood to argue, even over something small. “And that’s funny?”
“No.” She leaned more of her weight against him. “But now I know how it feels. It’s pretty fucking nice.”
Letting go of her so she could hop into the SUV made him itch for her touch. He was addicted. She didn’t let go of his hand yet. She kept her legs dangling outside the car and tugged him to stand between them. “I have a favor to ask.” The bravado vanished from her voice.
“Of course. Anything. You have to know that.”
“I assumed you’d say that, but don’t promise me the world yet.”
He was willing to. The thought hit him hard and rocketed from his hair to his toes. He wasn’t sure what to do with the information. “What is it?”
“Stay with me tonight?” She studied him through her lashes. Fuck. She wore demure as well as she did everything else.
“You need your sleep,” he said.
“And I’ll get it.” She tugged him closer and rested her forehead on his chest, muffling her words. Her hot breath seeped through his shirt and teased his skin. “That’s why it’s a selfish request. I won’t be very good company.”
He kissed the top of her head, drawing the moment in his mind and sealing it there. “Of course I will. Always.”
* * * *
Mercy leaned into Ian, as he glided his lips down the back of her neck. God. He was good at that.
“I have to go into the office.” His words vibrate
d against her skin.
It was barely six. She didn’t realize people got up this early and stayed sane—except Liz.
Mercy felt better than she had in ages. Even weirder, after expecting to be up half the night despite her exhaustion, she’d passed out by nine. It turned out that having Ian there—not fighting how much she liked him; the peace that came from lying in his arms—was rather relaxing.
She tilted her head, to give him a better angle. “If you were the boss, maybe you could make your own hours.”
“These are my hours.” He kissed along her shoulder and trailed his fingers down her arm. “Are you going to be gone and vanished into the deep recesses of another state, before my work day is over?” His voice hitched at the end of the question.
She wasn’t going back. The thought was there since she touched down yesterday, and niggled at her even before then. She wasn’t sure she was ready to tell him that yet. “My ticket is for Thursday afternoon.”
“Another day.” He gripped her hip “Leave room for me in your schedule. I want to see you tonight.” He pressed closer, as if to emphasize his point, and his hard length teased her.
“You don’t want to see me right now?” Uncertainty loomed, but much of the stress was behind her. It left room for a playful spark inside. She shifted enough to roll onto her back, so she could see him. She inched up the bottom of her shirt, but stopped when it was halfway up her ribs.
He groaned and settled his palm on her stomach. “I have to work.”
“So you’d leave me here all alone?” She pulled off her top and tossed it aside. “Naked and unsupervised?”
“Only for the day. I’ll be back tonight.” In a single motion, he shifted his weight enough to hold her in place and pinned her hands above her head. He scraped his teeth along her collarbone.
She squirmed underneath him, not to get free, but because the friction danced along her skin, lighting her senses on fire. “But that’s so long.” She stretched out the word and rubbed her hip against his cock. Her panties and his boxers didn’t provide much of a barrier. “It’ll be so hard to wait.”
“You should have thought of that before you started undressing.” He blew across one nipple, never making contact, and it hardened to a nub.
Dampness grew between her legs, which slipped and slid each time she shifted position. “You’ve got five minutes, right? It’s still early.”
“If you get me started, I’m not going to want to walk away.”
“We’re already started.”
“How about this, then? I want to take my time with you. Five minutes is a joke.”
She worked one hand free and grabbed him through his shorts. She stroked his length, languishing in the chills his moans sent through her. “Big words, big guy. Do you have the stamina to back it up?” She’d let him leave, but he didn’t seem more interested in doing so than she was in watching him go.
He knelt, and let go of her hand, as he wedged one knee between her legs. “Is that a challenge?”
“I don’t know. I’d hate to keep you from work.”
He cupped one of her breasts and grazed his thumb over the rigid peak. She twisted against the rough contact, whimpering for more.
“Still want me to leave?” His voice rolled deep and low through her body.
“I’m pretty sure I was the one who wanted you to stay a little longer…” She sighed when he lowered his head and flicked his tongue over her other nipple.
He nipped at the sensitive skin with his teeth, then alternated between sucking and licking. Need spiraled through her, traveling to her gut and pooling between her legs. She writhed beneath him, trying to draw closer one moment and wriggling to get away the next, when he hit the right nerves and pleasure spiked through her. She wasn’t sure how long he spent alternating between her breasts, lavishing them with attention. Her head grew light, and she shifted closer to the leg just out of reach of her aching core.
When she thought he couldn’t take it anymore, he pulled away. Disbelief and cold air spilled over her but didn’t cool the heat begging for more.
She grabbed his hand when he tried to rise from the bed. “Wait.” It was a struggle to force the word through her dry throat. “Where are you going?”
“Condom.”
“I don’t care.” The frantic desire inside wasn’t willing to wait the few seconds this conversation took. “IUD. I’m safe.”
“Me too.”
“Forget it, then.”
As he drew his mouth along her collarbone, up her jaw, and to her lips, he murmured, “And here I thought you couldn’t get sexier.”
“You’re biased.” She arched her back at each feather-light kiss and caress.
“Yup.” He stripped off her panties, knelt between her legs again, and supported his weight with one hand near her head. He fisted his cock and dragged the head along her slit. “Fuck, you’re soaked.”
The teasing made it hard to think, especially when he bumped her clit. She thrust, to get closer, and he drew away, dipping near her opening before sliding back up.
She couldn’t find a response. “More?”
“You’ll have to be specific.” He bumped her throbbing button again but didn’t move away. When he pumped his hand, stroking his cock, he hit her clit at a delicious angle.
She gripped the sheets, clenching her hands until her knuckles ached, focused on the pressure building inside. “That’s good.”
“Like this?” He rubbed faster, jerking them both off at the same time.
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Orgasm built inside, slow and steady, nudging her closer to the edge with each bump. As he increased his speed, she struggled to catch her breath, grinding and panting.
When she peaked, climax tearing through her, he pushed inside with a hard thrust.
Being stretched out as she came, feeling him hammer the right spot, drew out her pleasure. One moment faded into the next, and she lost herself in the bliss rolling through her.
There was no way she could walk away from this. From him. And it wasn’t just how in sync they were in bed—though that helped.
He kissed her hard, still slamming against her, steadily and with hungry intensity. The kiss filled her with all the pleasantness since they found each other again. Each moment of joy, laugh, and exquisite thrill.
She definitely couldn’t give him up.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Ian clenched his jaw, to keep from coming too soon. He wanted this to stretch forever. Or at least, as long as possible. This wasn’t an intense lust-fueled fuckfest, like they shared in the past. Though it was fierce, this was making love. Wow. He really did love her. The parting of her lips, as she drew close to climax again. Her hair fanned around her on the pillow. That he was late for work, and he’d still stick around to talk, enjoying every minute of it.
“God, Ian.” Even the way she gasped his name sent tendrils of pleasure snaking through him. She arched her back under him, wrists straining against his grip, but not to get away. “You feel so amazing.”
She tightened around him when she came, clenching, teasing, and grinding against him. He pounded harder, falling into the ecstasy, thoughts turning to vapor, until all that remained was him and her. His grunts melded to a single groan when he spilled inside her. He still didn’t want to stop, but as release flowed through him, the frantic thrusting ebbed and faded. He rested his hands on both sides of her head and kissed her, before leaning his forehead against hers. “Fuck, you’re beautiful.”
“Shameless flatterer.” She smiled and nudged him, prompting him to roll onto his side, so he could still see her.
He couldn’t let her get away. It would suck, sending her back home tomorrow. Again. But he needed something more from her than long distance doesn’t work. “I mean every word of it. I also mean it when I say I love you.”
“I—” She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, and pulled her gaze from his. “You need to get to the office, not run my company in
to the ground before I get to it.”
Not the response he hoped for, but he wasn’t done yet. The hint of numbness spreading through him was misplaced. He’d rather feel this than block it out, even if things between them ended up not working. They would go the way he wanted though. “Soon. First, though, I know you keep telling me it won’t work, but I’m stubborn.”
“You? Nah.” She gave a short laugh.
He kissed the tip of her nose. “I’m going to ask one more time—reconsider trying things out, long distance. I’m not ready to give up on us, and I can wait for you to get there.”
“No.” She pulled her gaze from his and moved away, before grabbing a long T-shirt from the top of her luggage. “No. I won’t.”
This was too much. Maybe he didn’t want to experience the heartache after all. He was so sure… The hurt started in his chest and spread through his body.
“We don’t need to,” she said, before he could find a response.
His thoughts slid like socks on linoleum, unable to find purchase. “What?”
“I’m moving back here.”
Agony flipped to hope and lifted his heart. “What?” He still couldn’t manage anything more intelligent.
“I haven’t told anyone yet. I decided last night. This is home, and Atlanta isn’t. I’ve fought it for so long, but being back here… I miss it. I miss Liz and getting to know my little sister… And I’d miss you.”
That was closer to what he hoped to hear. Fuck. This was a million times better, in a lot of ways. “Move in with me,” he said. It was impulsive, like so much of his time with her, but it felt right.
“Ian…” She still didn’t look at him. “What if it doesn’t work out? You’re putting a lot of everything into this.”
“I’m not worried. If it falls apart, it’ll be a hell of a ride. But it won’t. We’ll be amazing together. I love you, and you love me.” He wasn’t sure about that last bit, but he had a pretty good feeling it was true.
“You’re that certain?” Something was off about her voice.
He climbed from the bed. “Yes.” He knelt in front of her and realized she wore a giant grin
Selling Seduction (Your Ad Here #1) Page 16